Introduction to Rhetorical Economics
Introduction to Rhetorical Economics

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the paper is to give an introduction to rhetorical economics. Rhetorical economics is a completely new discipline within economic theories. Although classical economists used natural language in their theories, the formalist methodology of modern economic theories nearly crowded out the natural language of economics. The rules of epistemology, however, got stuck: they did not lead to plausible knowledge. Deirdre McCloskey, the main representative of rhetorical economics claims that the basis of accepting or rejecting an economic theory should be the critirion whether you can persuade others about the plausibility of your ideas or not. Besides the definition of rhetorical economics, the paper discusses all the main tenets and merits of the discipline and at the same time rejects the canons of the ‘received views’.

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